1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic data processing equipment for processing numeric data expressed in different radices or units.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the conventional electronic data processing equipment such as computers, numeric data expressed in various radices or units such as hour, minute and second units have been in general processed in a manner to be described below. Since the independent input of the individual numbers in hour, minute and second units is impossible, they must be entered according to a predetermined procedure and sequence. For instance, when it is desired to enter 1 hour 136 minutes and 56 seconds, one must carry out a mental conversion into 3 hours 16 minutes 56 second and then keys in in the sequence of "3", ".", "1", "6", "5", "6", "a.sup.o /" ", where "a.sup.o /" " is a key for converting a number in hour and a number in minute into a number expressed in second unit.
There has been devised and demonstrated a method for entering a number in the hexagesimal system by the combination of the decimal point key and an extra key for specifying a time unit HMS. For instance, to enter 1 hour 23 minutes 45 seconds, one keys in in the sequence of "1", ".", "2", "3", "4", "5" and "HMS". To enter 12 seconds, one must key in in the sequence of "0", ".", "0", "0", "1", "2" and "HMS". The keying-in operations are very complex and tend to result in erroneous entry.
Furthermore with the conventional electronic computers, functional keys and memory key or keys must be depressed in order to convert a number expressed in hour, second and time unit into a number expressed in second or minute unit. For instance, to convert 12 hours 30 minutes 43.56 seconds into a number in the minute unit, one must depress the keys in the order of 12 ".times." 60 "=" "M+" 36 "M+" 43.56 ".div." 60 "=" "M+" "RM", where "M+" means "store in a memory register" and "RM" means "read the memory register".
Moreover, to enter a negative time data; that is, a numeric data expressed in time unit and having the negative sign, a time conversion key and functional keys must be depressed. For instance, to enter a time data "fifteen minutes to 12 hours 36 seconds"; that is, 11 hours 45 minutes 36 seconds, one must depress the keys in the order of EQU 12.0036 "a.sup.o/" " "-" 0.15 "a.sup.o/" " "=" "a.sup.o/" ".
Furthermore when it is desired to add 36 ;l minutes to 12 hours 30 minutes 25.5 seconds and then subtracts 1.23 hours, one must depress the keys in the order of EQU 12.30255 "a.sup.o/" " "+" 0.36 "a.sup.o/" " "-" 1.23 "=" "a.sup.o/" ".
Thus the keying-in operations and sequences are very complex.